This is standing ovation worthy i hope you know.

Because it's the pretender it feels so appropriate that they claim their love for each other and own it in the midst of the crime and cover-up.

I love the brutal savage raw way they love each other, the way Jarod loves and defends her.

Oh my God I need more.

The end -beginning here is so totally satisfying Mirage.

I could read this forever tho.

Please never stop writing and sharing.

Happy Xmas!

Bravo! � Now this is how it's done and could easily be the next episode as it reads like it!!

Top notch, all the way,  from beginning to end. You are a wordsmith and a hell of a storyteller!

Congratulations!

Hey 👋 👋 😊 Good to have you back and this is amazing. You have outdone yourself again.

It always kills me how in character they are. Wild! I can't get enough!

I sit here in awe. Jaw slackened. Coffee getting colder. This is totally on point. I'm relieved for everyone who isn't Lyle.

I feel sad for Lyle because he refused to be helped. You actually have Jarod and Ethan trying to help him like Jarod helped Ethan and Kyle but the bad just wouldn't wash out of Lyle.

Parker knows how to clean things tho. I was shocked and thrilled that Jarod didn't even consider judging her. He was just afraid that she was physically  hurt. I immediately began to cry about his behavior, his relef. It's so vivid, so real, raw. You shake me sometimes, Mirage.

Jarod helped her cover it all up. She shouldn't have to keep paying for what Lyle did to her. Lyle shouldn't have been out of prison but it's exactly like this out in the real world too.

"Sometimes, the things (Jarod) that scare you (Miss Parker) can be the things that save your (Miss Parker's life." I believe he was talking about himself and Parker then.

Parker's arousal isn't surprising. Jarod being a good man about it isn't surprising either.  Mucking stalls? Instead of f*cking in stalls. Ok. Ok.

What a joy to read.

Merci!

It is the best.

*Chefs Kiss*

Deliciously perfect! I read both chapters, just couldn't wait to see what would happen. You exceeded my every expectation.

If I ever meet you I'm going to hug the hell out of you for this.. or squeze your hand sweetly. I love you for this. This is that last place I'd expect to read that a happy relationship is in store for them but here we are. In the last place. Thank you. Thank you so very  much for this. You've made my next five years so much better. Have a terrifc holiday and new year. I wish you all good things Mirage.

Holy wows Mirage. I feel like singing the ding dong witch is dead tune. Amazing. Jarod leaps right in to help. he was going to send her away and do it all himself. Oh, "No, Look at me, not at the house. He's not going to come after you.." OH MY GOD I JUST CAN'T.  She was faking the therapy, plotting this all along and I don't even blame her. And neither does Jarod. I love Jarod. Dont you just LOVE Jarod? Gah. I need more.

So so many Pretender feels here. This is stunning and girpping. Jarod nearly lost it finding her there. I know in earlier chapters Broots said that no one inside the killroom will ever be the same again and that proved to be dead on.

Jarod helps her. That makes sense. We know it's not supposed to make sense but he'd rather her be the killer than the killed and Lyle did kill her first. Siblings gonna sibling.

I love Jarod all the more for this. I can see and hear them. God, it's like being there when you write them. Can't get enough.

Well, well, well, what do we have here, young lady? Jarod is finally growing on you isn't he? I believe he is.  I've said that before. I'm teasing you. I know you write him likeable and that you write him hateable. It's clear that Jarod and Parker love each other in this. He doesn't find there on scene and asks "what have you done?" He was going to ask if she was all right but caught himself and asked "Are you hurt?' Clearly she wasn't all right. People who are all right wouldn't be experiencing unexpected shock. The cover up was an act of love.  He's an accomplice, but his motives were love.

Jarod did tell Parker that sometimes the things that scare you the most can be the things that save your life.. he had that little corn thing in his hand at the time but I think he was talking about her and him, and that he could save her life.

All in all it's a beautiful love story beautifully written. I've already read chapter two so I can that with certainty. *winks*

Oh wow. She did it. I was hoping that either she or Jarod would.  Good call on his part letting her choose.

You always capture the characters bang on and the writing is so powerful.

I feel immersed. I love that you describe two people in love here. It's moving me.

I don't usually review every single chapter but I did want to mention how much I enjoyed the inclusion of Jarod's quote from the Corn Man episode and how I always thought it gave a wider representation of their dynamic. She was taught to fear him. Taeching her to hate .. a part of that is based on fear. Fear is what really leads to hate. And he did save her life. I also like the shout out to Ben and Catherine. They were soul mates. Like Jarod, Ben loved Catherine enough to let her be herself, so she could keep dancing. Mr. Parker ended the dancing. I love that Jarod is Parker's refuge. That they are each other's refuge. You imply that and never say it or the word LOVE but it's there between the lines. SO anyway. You're always thought provoking.

A happy beginning in a murder story is still a happy beginning. I'm not fooled at all. 😉🥰

Thank you. I've thoroughly enjoyed it and will read it again thousands of times because that's what I do 😎

Love ya! 🤟